Please summarize one or two of the models of collaboration you have learned about so far.
What you do see in your school currently in terms of "models of collaboration" if any.
Teachers of our school have the opportunity to collaborate in online book studies to improve their teaching practices through our participation of the Center of Collaborative Support and at my school we have started grade level Problem Solving Teams using the learning circle model. The Center of Collaborative Support provides optional book studies on a range of topics and teachers can earn clock hours through their participation. It is offered during fall, winter and spring quarters. They are set up so that you read the first week and share through a blog what you learned from the reading and what application you plan to try in your classroom. Then the second week through the blog you share out how that application played out in your classroom and reflect on how you can tweak it. Teachers are also expected to respond to others’ postings. We also have started a “learning circle” model for our newly created grade level Problem Solving Teams which look at solutions for students who are struggling either academically or behaviorally in our classes. To keep our meetings more efficient, teachers complete an online spreadsheet of students they have concerns about. Then as a group we talk about what has worked and what we can try during the next months with each child and add it to the spreadsheet. We all have tasks that we are responsible for such as taking notes, time keeping, looking at resources for ideas, SWIS data analysis, as well as back ups for each of these tasks. By having everyone responsible for a task engagement by participants is increased. Then the following month we
will look how those strategies worked and discuss what to try next or decide to continue with current interventions. with the students we have identified.
How could you see the lesson study model being implemented in your school?
Teachers of our school have the opportunity to collaborate in online book studies to improve their teaching practices through our participation of the Center of Collaborative Support and at my school we have started grade level Problem Solving Teams using the learning circle model. The Center of Collaborative Support provides optional book studies on a range of topics and teachers can earn clock hours through their participation. It is offered during fall, winter and spring quarters. They are set up so that you read the first week and share through a blog what you learned from the reading and what application you plan to try in your classroom. Then the second week through the blog you share out how that application played out in your classroom and reflect on how you can tweak it. Teachers are also expected to respond to others’ postings. We also have started a “learning circle” model for our newly created grade level Problem Solving Teams which look at solutions for students who are struggling either academically or behaviorally in our classes. To keep our meetings more efficient, teachers complete an online spreadsheet of students they have concerns about. Then as a group we talk about what has worked and what we can try during the next months with each child and add it to the spreadsheet. We all have tasks that we are responsible for such as taking notes, time keeping, looking at resources for ideas, SWIS data analysis, as well as back ups for each of these tasks. By having everyone responsible for a task engagement by participants is increased. Then the following month we
will look how those strategies worked and discuss what to try next or decide to continue with current interventions. with the students we have identified.
How could you see the lesson study model being implemented in your school?
As we start working on our study of “backward design” I can see this happening using
the “lesson study” model of collaborative. For example, at our first meeting surrounding
this topic we will be looking at our curricular area standards since we will be looking at
what we want our students to be able to do at the end of a lesson or unit. From that we
will plan how our students will meet those goals. Next, we could develop a research question
to address how our students will meet a particular standard. Then we would teach this lesson
with colleagues in the room to collect data about “teacher practices and how students
respond to these practices” (pg. 250). Lastly, we would spend time to reflect on the data
we have collected to determine which strategies
worked well or what needs to be tweaked.
worked well or what needs to be tweaked.
What are some challenges to creating a “lesson design” model in your school? What might
be a good “next Steps?”
The challenges I see for this are finding time to complete this process and trust between
teachers in order to be vulnerable. Luckily, our principal is willing to give up some of his
district-directed time to let us focus on “backward design” this year. Through using
district-directed time on our early release Fridays we will be able to plan and reflect. To
be able to find time to observe and take data will be a bit more tricky with our guest
teacher shortage. Perhaps we can trade time by giving teachers a self-directed Friday for giving up their planning to observe and collect data or covering classes to others can observe and take data. Another solution would be to find days that the district would give us to have guest teachers and we could have guest teachers rotate the coverage of classes. To help with the challenge of vulnerability of having others see your teaching practices I would suggest that the teacher leaders or coaches be the ones that volunteer to be teach
and be observed the first round. Then in future rounds to ask for volunteers and have teacher leaders or coaches help them plan the lessons being observed.
teacher shortage. Perhaps we can trade time by giving teachers a self-directed Friday for giving up their planning to observe and collect data or covering classes to others can observe and take data. Another solution would be to find days that the district would give us to have guest teachers and we could have guest teachers rotate the coverage of classes. To help with the challenge of vulnerability of having others see your teaching practices I would suggest that the teacher leaders or coaches be the ones that volunteer to be teach
and be observed the first round. Then in future rounds to ask for volunteers and have teacher leaders or coaches help them plan the lessons being observed.
Over the last few years we have lacked in the area of collaborative learning mostly
because of time constraints, lack of guest teachers, and focus on teaching practices.
In the past we have had our early release Friday time was divided into three areas -- self-
directed, collaborative and district-directed. We now area split between self-directed
and district-directed. Our principal has to give up some of his district-directed days in
order for to have collaborative time under our contract. In the past we also had some curricular areas meet in department time, but the district has not been willing to say that this goes under our “responsibility contract” so it is hard for administrators to ask for us to meet regularly as in our departments. Also, we have a lack of guest teachers to cover classes in order for teachers to observe other teachers or to meet during the school day.
Often, the district is paying for us to cover other classes during our planning time because of this. Lastly, this past year we gone through many transitions this past year--- new buildings, blending of staffs and changes in the master schedule.
order for to have collaborative time under our contract. In the past we also had some curricular areas meet in department time, but the district has not been willing to say that this goes under our “responsibility contract” so it is hard for administrators to ask for us to meet regularly as in our departments. Also, we have a lack of guest teachers to cover classes in order for teachers to observe other teachers or to meet during the school day.
Often, the district is paying for us to cover other classes during our planning time because of this. Lastly, this past year we gone through many transitions this past year--- new buildings, blending of staffs and changes in the master schedule.
How has your thinking changed regarding your school’s current practice for collaboration
and it’s alignment to “best practices”?
After focusing on blending staffs, moving to new buildings, and new schedules over the
past year, we are now starting to now focus on “best practices” again this year using collaborative groups. This has started with the expectation that we will all be involved in a Problem Solving Team which are set up as a learning circle around working with our students that are struggling in the classroom either academically or behaviorally. We are also starting to have district-directed time dedicated to work in curricular areas
since our administrators and staff see collaboration as important in order to improve our
teaching practices in order for students to be successful. We can not do it on our own. Although we returning to using collaboration among our staff to focus on “best practices”, I think that we have a ways to go to get back to being part of our school culture.
past year, we are now starting to now focus on “best practices” again this year using collaborative groups. This has started with the expectation that we will all be involved in a Problem Solving Team which are set up as a learning circle around working with our students that are struggling in the classroom either academically or behaviorally. We are also starting to have district-directed time dedicated to work in curricular areas
since our administrators and staff see collaboration as important in order to improve our
teaching practices in order for students to be successful. We can not do it on our own. Although we returning to using collaboration among our staff to focus on “best practices”, I think that we have a ways to go to get back to being part of our school culture.
